Faculty/Staff
Faculty
Di Liang
Interim Director of the Intensive English Communication Program (IECP)
Assistant Teaching Professor of Applied Linguistics
Di Liang joined the IECP in 2023. He has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Penn State, a M.Ed. in foreign language education from the University of Pittsburgh, and a B.A. in English from Chengdu University of Technology, China. Di has taught academic English as well as TOEFL, IELTs, and SAT preparation courses in China and the United States for over ten years. Prior to the IECP, Di held roles as an instructor, teacher educator, researcher, and student teacher supervisor in the College of Education at Penn State. Di frequently works with international students, language learners, and language educators. His research is situated within education and applied linguistics, with interests in multilingual international students’ learning and lived experiences in contexts of ideological disjuncture, critical language pedagogy, language educator professional development, and linguistic landscape. Selected Publications
- Liang, D. (2026). Observing and interpreting jiāzhuàng as semiotic device in small business signs. Linguistic Landscape, 12(2), 140-166. https://doi.org/10.1075/ll.24066.lia
- Liang, D., Jackson, J., & Cunningham, A. (2026). Understanding teacher candidates’ perspectives on Standard Academic English: A collaborative thematic analysis of workshop activities in an anti-racist teacher education course. TESOL Journal, 17(3), e70139. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.70139
- Liang, D., & Cao, X. (2023). A day in the life of an English teacher: Narratives from English language teachers in a rural primary school in China. In P. C. Iida, E. Mikulec, & M. F. Agnello (Eds.), English language education in rural contexts: Theory, research, and practices (pg. 63-83). Brill. DOI: 10.1163/9789004549647_005
- Liang, D., & Cao, X. (2022). Teacher online ELT experiences in a rural primary school in China during COVID-19 pandemic. In C. N. Giannikas (Ed.), Transferring language learning and teaching from face-to-face to online settings (pg. 130-151). IGI Global. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-8717-1.ch007
- Han, S., Liang, D., & Haneda, M. (2021). A case study of two South Korean middle school EFL teachers’ practices: Instructional stances and use of classroom materials. Classroom Discourse, 12(1-2), 56-74. DOI: 10.1080/19463014.2020.1869572
Selected Presentations
- Haneda, M., Liang, D., & Sherman, B. (2026). Trans-semiotizing dialogic teaching for equity. In Colloquium: Reimagining Coaching and Teacher Inquiry as Sites of Transformative Learning for Educators in Multilingual Schools. The 2026 American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference, Chicago, IL.
- Cunningham, A., Jackson, J., Liang, D., Ruzicka, M., Sharma, S., & Staples-Dixon, J. (2025). Extraordinary pedagogies: An endarkened feminist approach to revolutionizing teacher consciousness. American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2025 Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.
- Litzenberg, J., Benton-Monahan, C., Liang, D. (2025). Decolonizing the curriculum: Enacting Land-Based Pedagogies in an Adult English Language Program. The 2025 American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference, Denver, CO.
- Asanov, E., & Liang, D. (2025). Analysis of trans-semiotizing narratives: A case for the method. 8th Interdisciplinary Symposium on Qualitative Methodology at University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Rose Asantewaa Ansah
Instructor
Rose Ansah is a dual-title PhD candidate in Applied Linguistics and African Studies with over 20 years of experience in English language teaching and multilingual education across elementary, secondary, and tertiary educational settings. She holds an MPhil in Teaching English as a Second Language, an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language, and a BA in Psychology and Linguistics.
Before pursuing her doctoral studies, Rose coordinated the English Language Proficiency Program at Ho Technical University in Ghana, where she led initiatives to strengthen the academic English proficiency of international Francophone students. Her research examines the intersections of language, equity, and inclusion, with particular interests in linguistic marginalization, decolonial linguistics, African-centered pedagogy, translanguaging, multilingualism, discourse analysis, and linguistic identity in postcolonial contexts.
Chelsea Benton-Monahan
Academic Programming Coordinator
Assistant Teaching Professor
Chelsea is an adjunct lecturer for both the IECP and the ESL/EAP program in Applied Linguistics. She graduated from Penn State in 2017 with a master’s degree in TESL, where she focused on language policy in Morocco. Her experience includes seven years of working in student-support roles at Penn State in the Office of Global Programs and Smeal College of Business, as well as three years teaching English in Meknes, Morocco. She is very passionate about languages, and knows French and Moroccan Arabic. She has only recently begun teaching again and is thrilled to be back in the classroom, where she hopes to grow both professionally and personally.
Publications:
Makoni, S. & Abdelhay, A. (2020). Contributed chapter entitled “Berber Language Policy in Morocco” in Language Ideologies, ethnicities, and semiotic spaces of power. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle upon-Twine.
Nikki Mattson
Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives, IECP
Teaching Professor of Applied Linguistics
Faculty Associate, The Global Engagement Community (GEC)
Global Learning Coordinator, Experiential Digital Global Engagement (EDGE)
Nikki Mattson has been a faculty member at the Intensive English Communications Program (IECP) at The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) since 2009. She currently serves as the Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives for the IECP in addition to being a Teaching Professor in the Department of Applied Linguistics. She holds her M.A. in Linguistics and a Certificate of Graduate Study in TESOL from the University of South Carolina. She also holds a DELF (diplôme d’études en langue française) from Université Marc Bloch, Strasbourg, France. Nikki is dedicated to supporting campus internationalization efforts as well as global engagement in the classroom, on campus, and beyond. Nikki is a co-founder and advisor for the PSU Living-Learning Community, the Global Engagement Community. She also serves as a Global Learning Coordinator (GLC) for PSU’s Experiential Digital Global Engagement (EDGE) Program. Her research interests include intensive English program oral placement test validation, evaluating computer-assisted language learning (CALL) usage in second language (L2) classrooms, and internationalization in higher education.
Selected recent scholarship:
Mattson, N. & Gianico, J. (2024). Behold-Remold: Navigating and Innovating Liminal Spaces as an IEP Practitioner-Administrator-Scholar (PAS). In J. Litzenberg (Ed.), Innovation in University-Based Intensive English Programs: From Start to Future (pp. 116-131). Bristol, Blue Ridge Summit: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781800414457-009
Mattson, N., McGeary, B., Riehman-Murphy, C., Litzenberg, J., Benton-Monahan, C., Liu, T….Luo, Y. (2023, May). Sustainable Development in an Intensive English Program (IEP): A Programmatic and Curricular Transformation Supported by OER. Panel Presentation at Affordable Learning Pennsylvania (APLA) Summit, State College, PA.
Cruz, L., MacQuarrie, T.L., and Mattson, N. (2022, October). The EDGE Umbrella: Fostering Convergent Research on Global Exchanges. Presentation at AAC&U Global Learning Conference: Transforming Global Learning Practice: Time for Action. Virtual.
MacQuarrie, T.L., Mattson, N. and Likholetov, V. (2021, December). EDGE collaborations: Moscow State University and Penn State University. Presentation for Moscow State University faculty meeting. Virtual, Invited.
MacQuarrie, T.L., & Mattson, N. (2021, November). Virtual exchange: Bridging student cultures and promoting peer-based learning. Presentation for the U.S.-Russia University Virtual Partner Program, American Councils on Education. Virtual, Invited.
MacQuarrie, T. L., Mattson, N., and Doran, M., (August 23, 25, 30, and September 3, 2021). Virtual exchanges: Bridging student cultures and promoting peer connection. Workshop series for American Council on International Education. Virtual, Invited.
Mattson, M., and Mattson, N. (2021, June). Working toward campus internationalization through inter-departmental collaboration. Poster presentation at NAFSA 2021 Annual Conference and Exposition. Virtual.
Cherkassov, D., Mattson, N., and Childs, S. (2020, September). The mentoring process: Enriching professional growth for English language teachers and teacher educators. Presentation at the 9th ICBCB: Global Trends and Values in Education, Virtual Conference, Kaskelen, Kazakhstan.
Staff
Academic Support
No Staff Available